Les vins de Cabernet Sauvignon produits dans la vallée de Maipo au Chili, plus précisément l'Alto Maipo, demeurent pour moi des vins uniques, au potentiel de garde certain, et la plupart du temps offerts à des prix défiant toute compétition. Je copie ici un article très intéressant sur le sujet. Je mets en exèrgue un commentaire de Cecilia Torres qui élabore le fameux Casa Real de Santa Rita. Selon moi ses commentaires s'appliquent aux bons vins de cette région.
"The concentration of this wine as well as others we produce," Torres explains, "allows us to obtain long-lived wines that can also be enjoyed while young. In a way, you can say we are closer to a Bordeaux style, but we truly produce a wine that is uniquely Chilean."
Ceux qui ont déjà bu un bon Cab de Maipo avec de l'âge savent que la comparaison avec de bons bordeaux n'a rien de farfelu, mais en même temps, surtout en jeunesse, l'identité du terroir est bien présente avec ce pur fruit de cassis qui en est souvent la signature.
Don Max
http://www.qrw.com/09summer/maipo.htm
Cabernet Paradise
Chile's Maipo Valley provides a perfect milieu
for that red varietal.
Tom Hyland
Much like Napa Valley or the Haut-Médoc district of Bordeaux, Chile's Maipo Valley has been recognized as an ideal region for magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon. Yet to tell the truth, there isn't much buzz being generated about Maipo these days. Maybe it's because there aren't the demanding egos in the area. Maybe it's because there isn't a controversy among local wine makers about how to style their offerings. Maybe there's just too much wine in the world to detail the local story. Whatever the reason, the best vintners of Maipo quietly continue their excellent work, crafting world-class wines that combine pure varietal character with a distinct sense of place.
To get a better appreciation about why Maipo Valley is paradise for Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties, we talked with winemakers from four of the region's most renowned estates: Carmen, Concha y Toro, Cousiño-Macul and Santa Rita. These wineries represent a great deal of local history, with the youngest of these estates being founded in 1883. Today all four produce both premium priced Cabernet Sauvignons ($40 and up) as well as excellent value-oriented bottlings in the mid- to high-teens price slot.
The Maipo Valley is centered near Santiago, Chile's capital city, and extends south and east towards the Andes and west towards the less dominating Coastal Range. While some interesting wines originate from vineyards in the lower altitude plantings to the west and north, the finest offerings come from an area known as Alto Maipo, south and east of Santiago, where vineyard plantings begin at an elevation of 2,100 feet above sea level. "The only real place to make great Cabernet in the valley is Alto Maipo," says Stefano Gandolini, winemaker at Carmen.
Numerous factors combine to make the Alto Maipo such a distinctive zone for beautifully structured Cabernet. The typical soils here are alluvial, formed thousands of years ago by local rivers. "These soils are poor in organic material and very permeable with big stones that allow roots to grow very deep," explains Pascal Marty, technical director for Cousiño-Macul. These well-drained soils along with moderate water supply keep yield low, guaranteeing excellent fruit concentration.
Vineyards at these high elevations also benefit from large temperature variations — as much as 50 degrees — between nighttime lows and daytime highs, which provide for a longer growing season and ultimately higher acidity in the grapes and better structure for aging in the finished wines. The slower ripening also has other benefits, as Pascal notes. "The grapes mature slowly, maintaining aromas and deepening their color."
The current Cabernet Sauvignons from these wineries share a common thumbprint of deep ruby red or bright purple hue with aromatics that focus on ripe black currant, black cherry and cassis fruit, hints of tar, clove or tobacco and often, an appealing vanilla sweetness from small French oak casks. The wines have a beautiful feel on the palate, generally very good acidity (a bit higher in the 2005s than in 2006s) and usually are very supple in the finish. "In Alto Maipo the wines have extremely soft tannins, unlike those from the Colchagua Valley to the south, which have strong tannins," says Marcelo Papa, winemaker of the Casa Concha Cabernet at Concha y Toro.
While the fruit characteristics may sound similar to those from Napa Valley and while the bright acidity is reminiscent of Bordeaux, most winemakers say they are not attempting to mimic one of those styles of Cabernet. For Marty, who grew up in Bordeaux and worked in Napa, "it's difficult for me not to be influenced by those regions. However, I try to make a 'Maipo' style, the best wine possible using what Mother Nature gives us."
For Cecilia Torres, winemaker at Santa Rita, the answer is a bit more complicated. "Our tendency has been to emphasize elegance over power with the maximum typicity of our region, as in our Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon." This wine, from a single vineyard with an average vine age of 40 years, has become one of the signature Cabernets of the Alto Maipo, with its abundance of ripe black fruit flavors, stylish, but subtle new oak and powerful finish. "The concentration of this wine as well as others we produce," Torres explains, "allows us to obtain long-lived wines that can also be enjoyed while young. In a way, you can say we are closer to a Bordeaux style, but we truly produce a wine that is uniquely Chilean."
One wine that is clearly based on the Bordeaux mold is the Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon from Concha y Toro. First produced from the 1987 vintage, the newly released 2006 bottling marks the 20th offering of what has become the most iconic red from the Alto Maipo. Enrique Tirado, who joined Concha y Toro in 1995 and became head winemaker for Don Melchor with the 1997 vintage, talks about this wine with an almost religious passion. "I strongly believe that the wine has been indelibly marked since inception by its origins in this particular vineyard," he remarks. "In fact, the tannins and aromas produced here are truly next to none in Chile."
The wine comes from an estate in the Puente Alto zone of the Alto Maipo not far from the Andes Mountains; its thin, stony soils dictate low yields, "so the colors, aromas and flavors get concentrated," in Tirado's words. Constantly looking to craft a more refined wine offering greater complexity, he has worked extensively in the vineyards, trying to improve grape quality as well as discovering the ideal time for harvest. "Knowing when to bring in the grapes leads in turn to an improved ability to extract all that's good about the wine during vinification, such as increasing fruit concentration and expression while maintaining or even improving on the elegance and complexity of the final product."
His intensive work can be found by sampling the 2006 bottling that displays the remarkable depth of fruit this wine is known for backed by firm, but balanced tannins and peppery notes that come from the small percentage of Cabernet Franc incorporated in the blend. The earthiness and tannin structure clearly call to mind a classified growth from Saint-Estèphe, while the restrained nature of the fruit (not overly forward) most assuredly shifts this wine away from most New World comparisons. For two decades, Don Melchor has had an enviable track record, generally drinking well for 15-20 years and I see no reason why the 2006 bottling will not equal that achievement.
As remarkable as the Don Melchor and other premium Maipo reds are, it's a tribute to these estates that they also produce such impressive wines costing $20 or less. The Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva from Carmen offers a nice combination of red fruits and subtle herbal notes with a lovely harmonious finish, while the Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon from Cousiño-Macul is an excellent example of varietal character and terroir that you don't often get from a wine at this price. "The market is looking for value," says Torres of Santa Rita. "The consumer is much more demanding with the current economic conditions, so we need to provide these wines."
The vintners of Maipo Valley know they can produce brilliant red wines thanks to the environment they call home and are eternally grateful for that. "The climatic conditions are responsible for the great color, structure and tannic quality of our Cabernet Sauvignons," Gandolini expresses. "It's possible almost every year to make great wine. The vintages are the most consistent in the world."
Tasting Notes
2006 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon "Don Melchor," $80. Gorgeous aromas of black currant, cassis, cigar and vanilla. Excellent concentration; rich mid-palate and a beautifully structured finish with youthful tannins and notes of pink peppercorn. Quite impressive, this has become a classic Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon for long-term (15-20 years) aging. Outstanding
2005 Cousiño-Macul "Lota," $80. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. Aromas of black currant, cassis, vanilla and cranberry. Exquisite balance throughout with elegant tannins and very good acidity. Long, long finish, an impressive sign for a wine this young. This should drink well for 15-20 years. Outstanding
2005 Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon "Casa Real," $75. Black currant, cassis, black plum and vanilla aromas. Fully developed mid-palate with layers of flavors. Lengthy, well structured finish with round tannins and nicely integrated oak. Quite forward, though just an infant, albeit a nicely behaved one! Best in 12-15 years. Outstanding
2005 Carmen Winemaker's Reserve Red, $45. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Carmenère and 25% Petite Syrah. Aromas of tar, black currant, black peppercorn and bitter chocolate. Excellent concentration; elegant entry on the palate; long finish with silky tannins, lively acidity and nicely integrated oak. Enjoy this over the next 12-15 years. Outstanding
2006 Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon "Medalla Real," $20. Black currant, black cherry and cumin aromas. Earthy finish with good fruit persistence, ample oak and balanced acidity. Best in five to seven years. Very Good
2005 Carmen Gold Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $72. Aromas of black cherry, clove, black licorice and tar. Ripe fruit, youthful tannins, ample oak and balanced acidity. A bit more robust than in previous vintages, this needs time to settle down, but overall is beautifully balanced. Best in 12-15 years. Excellent
2005 Santa Rita Triple C, $60. A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Carmenère. Aromas of cocoa powder, black peppercorn and raspberry. Young elegant tannins and nicely integrated oak. Nicely styled, this could pair with a variety of foods from roast duck to filet mignon. Best in ten to 12 years, though it will be enjoyable sooner. Excellent
2006 Cousiño-Macul "Finis Terrae," $26 — a great value! A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Aromas of ripe black cherry, tar, black licorice and iris; young tannins, ample oak and balanced acidity. Packed with plenty of fruit, this is a ripe, modern style that needs to sit awhile and tone down. Best in 12-15 years. Excellent
2006 Cousiño-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon "Antiguas Reservas," $19. Red cherry, coriander and blueberry aromas; nicely structured finish with very good fruit persistence, finely tuned tannins and subtle oak. This wine has a long history of aging well; there is a good chance this will become an excellent wine in another five to seven years. Very Good to Excellent
2006 Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, $17. Mint, black cherry and black licorice aromas. Good fruit persistence, moderate tannins and subdued oak with light herbal notes in the finish. Approachable now — enjoy over the next three to five years. Very Good.